


The Ties That Bind

by rogue_prince



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: (I hope), Alternate Universe - Age Changes, Alternate Universe - BDSM, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bad Parenting, Bad Puns, Blatant Abuse of Exposition, Blow Jobs, Cat Puns, Complicated Relationships, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Hand Jobs, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, My First Fanfic, Past Child Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Public Sex, Slow Burn, Tags Contain Spoilers, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-04-28 21:55:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14458569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rogue_prince/pseuds/rogue_prince
Summary: Adrien Agreste has been the star model for his father Gabriel's eponymous fashion brand as long as he can remember. Now twenty-two, he's long past weary of the thankless, lonely work for a father who has never appreciated him. He's hanging on by a thread, and it can't hold his weight forever.Nino Lahiffe is running out of patience with the constant strain and isolation of being the road, too, but more than that, he's tired of watching Adrien live every day of his life thinking only of his father's approval. He'd do anything he can for his best friend, but he's been the anchor holding Adrien down for so long that his grip is slipping, too.As the two men hurtle toward the breaking point of what they can endure in the name of Adrien's fraying bond with his father, can they walk away from safe, well-paying jobs to look for happiness? Can they unravel the tangled strings of secrets and feelings, spoken and unrevealed, that tie their relationship in knots? Can they salvage the strands of the life they left behind, or has time worn them away?Can Adrien even find a dream to chase after a whole life lived for someone else?...And how far will Gabriel go to sever their ties forever?





	1. Homesick

**Author's Note:**

> The tags are full of future spoilers for things that don't apply yet, but I don't want anyone to get into this thing expecting it to be (exclusively) an Adrino story. This will be a polyship fic by the end involving Adrien, Nino, Marinette, and Alya. It will also be a kink fic, and the tags will be updated accordingly as things are added. There is no smut in the first chapter, and I will always include content warnings in the foreward notes when there is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning for implied past child abuse.

As he stared out at a crowd he couldn't see through the blinding lights of the runway, Adrien Agreste knew one thing: he was tired. More tired than any twenty-two-year-old ought to be, he thought, suppressing a bitter laugh before it could break through his manufactured composure. His mind wandered while his body went through the motions of the catwalk like a puppet on strings, which was closer to the truth than he cared to admit.

For as long as he could remember, Adrien had been in fashion. It was never his choice, never something he wanted, but as the son of the top men's fashion designer in Paris, he was born for it – literally, he often thought. Gabriel had never valued him as a child or as a person, only as a model; he was his father's perfect, mechanical mannequin, an organic sculpture, just another piece of the grand design.

He was sick of it. Sick of being used, sick of being controlled, sick of being tired. He was sick of starving himself, sick of traveling, sick of being stared at, fitted, and photographed. Most of all, Adrien was sick of being a prop in someone else's dream. There wasn't much left in his life he wasn't sick of anymore, not really. He wanted to go home.

A dozen cameras flashing dragged him back to reality. He took a breath, and found himself at the end of the runway, striking a pose for the crowd. Ah, there it was: third row, four from the left. He was certain he could pick out the shrill whine of that particular bulb charging, the click of that shutter, and the flash-flash-pause-flash of the man holding that old film camera from a thousand if he had to. He was the one thing that had kept Adrien sane these last four years. Nino.

He shifted his hips, his stance provocative, and threw a casual smirk in that direction. The playful expression he was famous for – the one he could never quite manage to fake – reserved itself for his favorite photographer more and more these days. Another quick flash-flash-pause-flash, and he'd ensured Nino would have the best shot of the day. The moment passed, and he was retreating toward the curtain, his work in New York finished at last.

The walk back to his dressing room was a quick and quiet one. Adrien did his best to avoid the other models off-stage, and they tended to do the same. Most resented him for the obvious nepotism that had granted him a job they'd worked so hard for, and much of the remainder expected him to be as unpleasant as they had heard his father to be. Gabriel Agreste's reputation in the scene was legendary. He was said to be a creative genius, the most brilliant mind in men's fashion this side of the Victorian era, and an insufferable perfectionist with a hot temper and a cold heart whose love of fashion was rivaled only by that of berating his employees.

All too happy to be out of his ensemble as fast as he could shed this week's pin-strewn prototype, he pulled on a comfortable pair of jeans, sneakers, and a T-shirt. He threw on a pair of cat-eye sunglasses to finish the outfit – the only item bearing the label he would wear outside of work anymore, and that by contractual obligation – and made a break for the alley exit hidden away in the bowels of the backstage labyrinth. Between his melancholy mood and the impending end of his stay in New York, he was eager to get out of the overcrowded venue and away from work for a few hours. With his head down and nose in his phone, he would have been frightened by the sudden, looming presence if the sweet scent of familiar cologne hadn't hit him just before the warm body that followed.

Soft lips pressed a hard kiss against Adrien's in the same blur of motion that pinned his back to the corridor wall. He indulged the very pleasant and very unwise display of affection for several moments longer than he knew he should before pushing Nino away with gentle but firm insistence. "You're definitely going to get us caught if you keep doing that."

"Worse things have happened," Nino grinned down at him.

"Yeah, and the last one ended in the creation of the Geneva Conventions," Adrien sighed. Changing the subject to avoid the impending rebuttal, he asked the obvious question, "Aren't you supposed to be filming the whole show?"

Nino shrugged, unconcerned, "Why bother? I already snapped the perfect shot. Staying would be a waste of time I could better spend... elsewhere," he mused, the hint of a promise hanging off the word. "Unless you're saying you don't want me around?"

"That doesn't sound like something I'd say."

"I'm not sure I believe you," he countered with an easy grin, "Maybe you'll have to convince me."

Adrien rolled his eyes, "Maybe I will – later. Right now, I'm hungry, and I'm not leaving New York City without trying this pizza everyone says is so good while I have the chance. If you wanna come along, let's go before one of Father's militant dieticians catches me, alright?"

Laughing, Nino ruffled his hair, "Sure, bud. Let's go get you some real food."

\---

The noises Adrien made as he inhaled his first slice of New York-style were damn near indistinguishable from sex moans – and Nino was something of an expert in that field where he was concerned. "You sound profane."

"Duhn fuhk wiff me," Adrien muttered around a mouthful of crust, tomato sauce dripping down his chin. Swallowing, he added, "I haven't had a carb in six weeks. I deserve this."

Laughing, Nino agreed, "Yeah, you do. I don't know how you do it."

"The impending threat of homelessness and disownment, mostly," he replied, mood dampened.

"That's a little extreme, don't you think? I mean, I've seen your pay stubs. You've gotta be independently wealthy by now, as long as you've been at this."

"I'm not talking about money," Adrien sighed and curled in on himself, his casual demeanor replaced with a defensive one. "Father would be furious if I quit. He'd never let me come home after that. Probably never speak to me again."

"Ah, yes, and what a terrible loss that would be," Nino drawled, sarcasm dripping from his words in sharp contrast to the tenderness of the hand that followed. The pad of a thumb wiped Adrien's mouth clean as a cover for the soft fingertips that cupped his jaw in a stolen moment of comfort.

Adrien's eyes softened. He relaxed and allowed himself to lean into that gentle touch for just a moment before pulling away. "I know how you feel about him, and I can't even blame you for it, but he is still my father and he's the only family I have left. And there's Nathalie and the house, too..."

"I know, I know. I'm just saying – listen to yourself, Adrien," Nino murmured. All the edge was gone from his tone, nothing but quiet concern left behind, "You can barely stand to be around Gabriel by your own admission, and you're talking yourself into staying in a job you hate over... what? Him, his assistant, and the house you grew up in and hated from the time you were fourteen until we graduated?"

"It was different then. That house was more like a prison when I was a teenager," he shrugged, looking down at the table. "But even still... It's where I grew up, and it's where all the good memories with my –" he hesitated, "– with my family are, and that's a lot to give up over a job, you know?"

"It's not just a job, though," Nino pointed out, frowning. "It's your life. Everything you do is dictated by this job. Everything. Which means everything you do is dictated by Gabriel."

"Not everything," Adrien protested, "he's never had a say in us."

Anger flashed in Nino's gaze for half-a-second, but he bit it back and took a breath. In a firm but measured tone, he replied, "Adrien. We're twenty-two years old and we're sneaking around like we're doing something wrong – in a foreign country where literally nobody knows us – because of Gabriel. Hiding out in a pizza joint that you wouldn't be allowed to go to – because of Gabriel. I don't want to fight with you, but seriously, sooner or later you're going to have to start living your own life, man. While you've still got one left to live – and anyone around who still wants to live it with you."

Adrien was quiet for a long, uncomfortable moment. When he had finally collected the words to reply, his voice was strained and quaking, "You're... thinking about leaving, then?"

"I don't want to," Nino said, "but I also don't want to live my entire life in the closet following you places neither of us wants to go because pleasing Gabriel Agreste is what matters most to you." There was no venom in the words, not a shred of ill-intent, just a sad and simple honesty.

"It isn't. You have to know that, don't you?" Adrien whispered.

"I don't. I want to believe it, but I don't know. You've never shown me a reason to."

\---

An awkward silence hung over them on the trip back to the venue like an oppressive cloud. It was hard to think, hard to breathe through the weight of it. Adrien wanted to scream. It would have been so easy for him to be angry over what Nino had said, so much easier than listening. Who was he to tell Adrien what to do, anyway? Pushing him to quit his job, to walk away from his father, to come out? It wasn't fair! It was–

"Adrien," a firm hand on his shoulder pulled him backward, stirring him from his brooding. "We're here," Nino added, an afterthought, subdued. He made no mention of the fact that he had just stopped his friend from walking into a brick wall; getting lost in his own head was more expectation than anomaly for Adrien. "Listen, I–"

"Don't, it's fine."

"Adrien, please," Nino whispered, hoarse. His mouth was so dry it almost hurt to speak. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I didn't mean to start a fight or tell you what to do, and I really didn't mean to come across like I was giving you an ultimatum, okay? I'm not going anywhere. I'm just... worried about you. You've been sinking into this life that you hate for so long I'm afraid it's going to drown you, and it kills me a little to watch it happen... but it's not my choice, it's yours, and... I'm here for you, bud, whatever you do."

Just like that, the hot bubble of anger in his chest burst, and Adrien deflated. Nino always was hard to be mad at. Whether it was the earnest way he'd apologize as soon as he realized he'd made a mistake – even when it wasn't really his fault – or the way Adrien got lost in those big brown eyes, he wasn't sure, but that was beside the point. He leaned against the cool brick of the old building and took a deep breath. The tiredness he had felt earlier fell over him like a heavy blanket, and all he could think was that he wanted to curl up into a little ball and sleep. "It's okay, Nino – really, I mean it," he murmured, fatigue weighing on his words like lead. "Thank you, I just... I need some time. I need to think... and maybe a little cat nap before the plane."

"Yeah, sure," Nino agreed, though he couldn't keep the hint of worry from creeping into his tone. "Can I walk you to your dressing room, at least?"

A part of Adrien was desperate to say yes, but that was a temptation he didn't need to invite to his door. "Thanks, but, I... really think I need to be alone right now."

"Alright," Nino said, suppressing a frown. "You go ahead, then. I'll walk around and go back to the show."

Pushing himself off the wall with a weary grunt, Adrien nodded. A long pause held them in place as he lingered on a thought. "...I'm sorry, too, Nino. I know this isn't what you wanted... and what you gave up for me..." he whispered. Then, not leaving room for an answer, he added, "I'll see you later," and slipped inside.

Collapsing onto the couch in his dressing room with all the grace of a toppled building, Adrien groaned. Who was he kidding, here? He knew the real reason he couldn't be angry at Nino, even if what he'd said had hurt to hear. If he were being honest, didn't it boil down to the same thing he'd been thinking earlier?

Nino was right. About everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first fanwork I've written since Teen Titans was originally airing and the first one I've published ever. I hope it's not horrible, but please be gentle.
> 
> I would like to thank my beta readers for their incredible patience and support, especially Lyrishark (lyrishark.tumblr.com) for all the time she devoted to editing this for me.
> 
> I would also like to offer special thanks to siderealSandman (secretfandomsmutblog.tumblr.com) who wrote Satisfaction Brought it Back, the fic which inspired the headcanon that transformed into this story idea, and then encouraged me to start writing it. I had never read a piece of fiction with such believable, heartfelt characters navigating a relationship, and also learning to practice safe, sane and consensual kink together before, and it really changed my opinion on fanwork in general.
> 
> You can find my (very, very new, and NSFW) writing blog at rogueprincewrites.tumblr.com if you want to send me questions, comments, hate mail, or anything else (please don't send me hate mail).


	2. Wandering Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nino has a lot to think about.
> 
> Gabriel continues to be the world's worst father and most insufferable boss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please forgive my blatant abuse of exposition to frame the narrative.
> 
> Alternate chapter title: Author Thinks They're Funny For Ham-Fisted Lampshade of Coffee Shop Exposition Scenes
> 
> Content warning for implied past child emotional abuse.

Nino wanted to say something – anything – to Adrien to make things better, had opened his mouth to try, but the words wouldn't come. He had drawn a complete blank in the moment that something smart to say would have mattered most.

"Fuck," he muttered, his head falling to rest against the cold metal door that Adrien had just disappeared through. Well, there was one word. He had never been the best at finding the right things to say; that was always what he had admired so much about... No. No getting distracted, not right now. He had botched things in a big way, and he needed to figure out how to fix them now. He hadn't meant to, of course. Nino didn't have a single malicious bone in his body, all the more so where Adrien was concerned. Still, the road to hell was paved with good intentions, as they say, and he'd laid some bricks today.

"I need coffee," he said to no one in particular, a vain attempt to feel less alone. With a heavy sigh, he pushed himself off the door, stretched, and made a point of looking nonchalant as he strolled back out of the alley he had just walked into. The last thing he needed was for someone to think he was up to anything suspicious right behind the venue where a bunch of rich fashionistas were currently drooling over this season's hottest overpriced couture. He had no idea where a good coffee shop was here, of course, but that was fine. A stroll would help him think, and how far could he possibly be from one in middle of the so-called "City That Never Sleeps," anyway? Besides, he didn't want to go back to the show.

He headed out in the direction opposite the pizzeria since he didn't remember seeing one that way, and considered Adrien. It was true that he hadn't meant any harm, but it was also true that he had meant to give him a bit of a push in the right direction. A pang of guilt wracked his chest as he recalled the miserable look in Adrien's eyes and the way his voice had broken when he asked if Nino was going to leave. He had miscalculated how fragile his friend's mental state had become – but, then again, wasn't his deepening depression the reason Nino had said anything at all?

He was well aware how important his presence here was to Adrien. Nino had been his closest friend – in the real world, at least – for a very long time, but since they had left Paris, he was the only one. More important than that, though, was the fact that his was the only voice telling Adrien to think about himself – his wants, his needs, his life – instead of always doing whatever he thought would make Gabriel happy. Adrien's isolated childhood had instilled in him an unshakable sense of loyalty to the few people he did have. In some ways, that was one of his best qualities, but in others, it was his worst. It made him a great friend, devoted and trustworthy beyond reproach, but it also made him something of a doormat where those people were concerned, his father most of all.

If he were to be honest with himself, he didn't think there was anything that could make him abandon Adrien. He needed someone around to protect him from Gabriel – and himself – and Nino was committed to the role, even when it was hard.

Well... no. If Nino were to be really honest, he would never leave because he was in love with Adrien. He hadn't meant to fall for him, of course, and this is the last way he would've picked for it to happen if he'd gotten a choice, but the heart wants what the heart wants. He probably had been since high school, if he were to judge himself by his own actions. Back then, though, he was already so in love with somebody else, so how could he have been? Then again, he still wasn't over that relationship, and it had been four years, so what the hell did he know about love?

"Damn it," Nino grumbled under his breath. He wasn't getting anywhere. Anywhere except for a coffee shop, that is. The scent hit him before he saw the place, dragging him from his thoughts. As he became aware of his surroundings, he realized how cold it was here, and found a new reason to loathe Gabriel Agreste. What was he doing in a place where it was below freezing in May? The weather in America was stupid and so was the man who had conspired to put him here. There was nothing he could do about it, though, save get a hot drink and complain, so he did both.

The warmth seeped back into his fingers as he cradled his pick-me-up, bringing a small smile to his face, but it was short-lived. He still had no idea what to do to make Adrien feel better. It would be an epic understatement to say that the two of them were close, yet their relationship was a difficult thing to address, at least on the emotional front. He could admit to himself that he was in love with his best friend, but telling Adrien was another thing. Before they had fallen into bed together, maybe, sure. Now, though? They had agreed to keep things casual – to preserve the friendship – and he had already failed to do that from before the start.

It was a hell of a catch-22. If he admitted his feelings, Adrien would be left with no doubt about how important he was to Nino, but at what price? He hadn't set out to lie about where they stood – how could he have when he didn't even understand it himself back then? – but that's what he'd done, regardless. Would Adrien be angry with him for withholding that from him? Or worse, would he be angry with Nino for falling for him in the first place? He knew Adrien didn't want a romantic relationship with him. That was made crystal clear by the determination with which he hid his sexuality and their arrangement from anyone who might even consider breathing a word of it to Gabriel.

Even if he weren't angry, though, and that was a long shot in and of itself, Nino was pretty sure it didn't matter. He was certain Adrien still held a torch for his old flame. He never dated. All through high school – almost as long as they had known each other – Adrien had been infatuated with a girl he knew online. Back then, when he wasn't allowed to leave the house outside of work and school, he spent a lot of time playing video games. He ended up nursing the mother of all crushes on a friend he met through one of them, and he never got over it as far as Nino could tell.

There were other girls, of course, and maybe other boys, too, but Adrien never got serious with anyone. Not once that Nino knew about, and he would have known about it if anyone had. These days, he hardly even played the field, but that was probably more the result of his unhappiness than any romantic interest in anyone. Still, Adrien resisted dating with a single-mindedness that Nino doubted he had the ghost of a chance of overcoming. To try would be to risk everything they did have, and that was a terrifying prospect. It was a bridge too far. There had to be a better way to reassure him.

Be damned if Nino knew what it was, though. He could apologize again, but that seemed empty. Buy him a gift, but Adrien was pretty far from materialistic. Take him somewhere nice, except they were going to spend the whole evening flying across the country. As much as he hated the thought of leaving this hanging over them, and of Adrien worrying himself miserable over it, doing anything meaningful about it might have to wait until San Francisco.

For now, though, it was best he put it out of his mind. He was getting nowhere fast, and worrying himself into a panic would do both of them more harm than good. He resolved to get back to work, clear his head, and figure this out after doing something productive.

\---

Nino made it halfway back to the stage with his equipment thinking no one would be any the wiser for his disappearing act. Then... he ran into the last person he wanted to see – literally. He rounded a corner in the dim back hallways of the venue, still lost in thought, and collided with Gabriel Agreste so hard that the smaller man went crashing to the floor.

The venom in the look Gabriel gave him could have withered an oak tree, which was impressive for a man prone on his back. Though Nino held no lack of distaste for the man, he was still his employer and best friend's father, so he did his best to hide it. He scrambled to pull Gabriel to his feet, dusting off his vicuña wool suit in an excessive black and lavender with all the vigor of a car wash.

Gabriel slapped his hands away, "Enough! That's enough! Thank you, Mr. Lahiffe," he spat, invoking Nino's name like a curse, "Where is my son?"

"I haven't seen him, sir," Nino lied. "Well, not since he was on stage. I just went to get a cup of coffee," he explained, hefting the – mercifully empty – beverage for emphasis. He imagined they'd be fishing his body out of the Hudson River if he had spilled anything on a suit worth more than everything he owned. "He's probably packing for the flight."

"Only if he's mastered the art of astral projection," Gabriel snapped. "He isn't in his dressing or hotel room. Send him to me if you see him. I have something I need to discuss with him."

"Of course, Mr. Agreste," Nino said, doing an admirable job of masking his irritation with indifference. How like Gabriel it was to bite his head off and then go straight to barking orders.

Gabriel glared at him for a moment longer, then grunted a "Hmmph," that passed for "Goodbye," in dictator-speak, wheeled on a heel and strutted off. It never ceased to amaze Nino how that man managed to become more intolerable every day. They had been acquainted for as long as he had known Adrien, but Gabriel had never once shown him the slightest scrap of kindness – not that he was surprised. What else could you expect from a man who treated his own son like a mannequin with the unfortunate defect of holding opinions?

With a sigh and a shrug, Nino brushed off the encounter. If he didn't know Adrien as well as he did, he would have been concerned about the sudden disappearing act, but he was pretty sure he knew where his friend had snuck off to. There was no reason to burden him with whatever his father wanted right now, though. Not when he had said he wanted some time to himself. That was a precious commodity on tour, and Nino refused to deprive him of it for Gabriel's sake.

Back to the plan, then, he decided. There were a few hours left of the show to film, which would give both of them time to decompress. He'd figure the rest out later.

\---

When Nino left the show that evening, he felt rejuvenated. He always did his best thinking with a camera in his hands. It gave him a certain kind of clarity that he could just never find without the sort of focus it took to shoot. He had been that way for as long as he could remember; it was probably what had first made him fancy the idea of getting into cinematography. Fashion photography wasn't quite where he wanted his career to go, but then again, it did pay well, and landing a job at such an influential company straight out of high school made for a hell of a résumé builder.

Truth be told, it would have been a foolish opportunity to pass up, personal reasons aside. It wasn't fair to let Adrien think he was selfish for giving that to him. Yes, there had been a price to be paid, but the same thing would have been true if he'd stayed in Paris, only the price would have been Adrien, instead. Theirs was a mutually beneficial arrangement – for more reasons than one – and that was what he needed to make clear. He wasn't a martyr; Nino didn't regret being here. He wanted more, yes, and there were things he would never miss about this life, but despite that, it had been good for him.

It all seemed so clear to him now that he had to laugh at how worked up he'd gotten earlier. Yes, it was easier said than done, given how prone to self-doubt Adrien was, but they would get past it. He didn't need to make some grand gesture, he needed to be there for his friend. To keep things casual, like Adrien wanted.

He knew just what to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will contain smut. You have been warned.
> 
> Thanks again to my beta readers, and to Lyrishark (lyrishark.tumblr.com) for editing.
> 
> Find me at rogueprincewrites.tumblr.com (NSFW) if you're so inclined.


	3. Runway Runaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nino has a plan to cheer Adrien up.
> 
> Adrien is feeling spontaneous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: This chapter contains a sex scene and includes public sex, manual sex, and oral sex. Skip the last scene, beginning with "Boarding the plane," to avoid.

When the dull thunk of the electronic lock opening reverberated through Nino's hotel room, Adrien wasn't sure what to expect next. The heavenly aroma of Chinese takeout that followed put him at ease. Nino wasn't mad at him.

"Knew I'd find you here," Nino grinned at him from the doorway, key-card and a hefty bag in one hand, and a comically large bottle of cheap wine in the other. He looked so vibrant standing there it took Adrien's breath away. There was a glow to his smile, a warmth to his deep amber skin, and a cheer to his big, brown eyes that had been missing before. The stress of work and travel had a way of wearing away at your vitality, but Nino seemed to have found his some time this afternoon.

"You know me well," Adrien replied, throwing his legs off Nino's bed and sitting up. "You look happy," he added, part observation, part question. His hair hung limp, slightly damp, and he wore only one of Nino's old shirts and a pair of boxer-briefs.

"Who wouldn't be with you in their bed looking like that?" Nino quipped, setting the bag down on the little thing that passed for a dinner table in the corner. "Hope you're hungry," he said, dragging the table and a chair across the room to where Adrien sat on the edge of his bed.

"I'm always hungry for Chinese," he affirmed, watching Nino set the table, "but you already knew that, too." Cheap, unhealthy food was something Adrien ate very little of growing up; consequently, it was one of his favorite things. "What's all this for?"

Nino glanced up at him from where he was arranging cardboard boxes and plastic flatware in a rough approximation of formal table setting. "One part apology, two parts just because I wanted to see you smile. Did you have a good nap?"

"I couldn't sleep," Adrien mumbled, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. He couldn't help but to grant Nino his wish, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, "You didn't have to do all of this, but it was really sweet of you. You definitely don't owe me an apology, though."

"Yeah, I did, I hurt–"

"You were right," Adrien interrupted him, though his voice was soft, "I do care too much what Father thinks, and I haven't been fair to you because of it. I'm the one who's sorry. I'll make it up to you, somehow."

Satisfied with his work on the table, Nino stood and crossed the room to pilfer two glasses from the counter. "You're right, you do care way too much about what Gabriel thinks," he replied, strolling back to serve the wine, pouring a taste for Adrien in a parody of a waiter at a fine restaurant. "But you haven't done anything wrong to me. You don't have to tell anyone anything about us, we agreed that this would be a casual thing. And I'm here because I want to be, bud. You don't need to worry about what I 'sacrificed,' alright? It was my choice to make and I'd do it again today. It was the right move for my career and it means I get to see the world with my best friend. I don't regret it."

Adrien listened, quiet and intent, while Nino spoke his piece. It took him another long moment to assemble a response. "I'm really glad you feel that way, Nino... Even still, though... I'm going to do better, going forward. Thank you for being here for me... and for the wake-up call."

"Happy to help, Adrien..." Nino said, patting him on the shoulder. Then, he was playing a part again, "How do you like the vintage?"

Adrien laughed and tasted the wine. "Mmm... Tastes like... Grape juice... Heavily sweetened, and perhaps 6% alcohol. Just the way I like it, Sir."

The emphasis on that honorific was not lost on Nino, his brow arching at the subtext. He decided not to remark on it, though, instead filling Adrien's glass, and then his own.

Adrien just gave him a predatory smirk, not unlike a cat playing with its food, and raised his glass. "Cheers."

\---

Nino's plan turned out to be perfect; this was exactly what he and Adrien needed. The two of them had always had an incredible rapport, even if life managed to get in the way sometimes, so it was no surprise to either one that they lost track of time. Hours passed them by as they sat laughing, talking, and flirting over the cardboard husks of their little feast.

High on their renewed mood more than the drugstore vintage, it also came as no surprise to either of them when the conversation broke under the weight of the rising energy between them. Adrien wasn't sure what caused it, but he could see the precise moment when Nino decided he had to kiss him.

It had started as an innocent moment, a chaste meeting of lips over the table. That spark lit the fire, though, and before he knew what hit him, Nino had shoved the table aside and pushed him back onto the bed, fingers tangled in his hair. Nino deepened their kiss with a hunger that sent shivers of anticipation through him, exploring his mouth with an eagerness that bordered on frenzy. When Adrien felt how hard Nino already was through the tight denim that pressed between his legs, he damn near purred.

Then their lips separated, and Nino was looming above him, grinning with equal parts confidence and mischief. He took hold of both of Adrien's wrists and tugged them above his head, holding him in place with one hand while the other circled his jaw in a commanding grip. "You remember your safeword?" he asked, more of a request for consent than the question on its own right; he knew Adrien wouldn't forget.

"C-cataclysm, Sir," Adrien gasped, his cheeks burning hot. He knew what Nino was asking for, and he was all too happy to give it.

Nino's grin widened in triumph. "Good boy," he praised, hand trailing from Adrien's jaw down his chest to–

–BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Adrien's phone chirped at them from the pocket of his discarded jeans in the bathroom. "Ignore it, I don't care–"

–BZZZT-BZZZT, BZZZT-BZZZT, Nino's phone joined in seconds later, vibrating in his pocket and drawing a delightful yelp from Adrien. Realization dawned on them as one.

"Shit!" Adrien cursed.

"God dammit," Nino agreed.

"The plane," they uttered in unison.

\---

"Think we'll make it in time?" Nino asked, a clear attempt to lighten the mood in the backseat of the checkered cab. It had been a mad dash to dress, pack, check out of the hotel, and catch a lift to the airport after the two of them had realized their mistake. The air between them was still charged with electricity from their interrupted moment of intimacy.

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Adrien shrugged the question off with a casual smile. He could tell Nino was making an effort to cool off, but he was still just as affected as Adrien was. He could see the way Nino's eyes hung on his every movement, hear the faint undertone of forced nonchalance in his voice. It was obvious he was still thinking about it, too, and damn that made it hard for him to put it out of his own mind.

He knew he should try, but he didn't want to. There was nothing they could do about it now, though. Flying across the country with a layover along the way meant it'd be morning before they had another moment to themselves. Nino must have reached the same conclusion, by the way he tore his eyes away from Adrien to look out the window. "Yeah, you're right. Worst case, we just catch the next flight out, right?"

"Mhmm. No harm done," Adrien agreed. "And we're not in a hurry when we get there anyway... We have all day to make up for lost time tomorrow," he added. When Nino's eyes fluttered shut, followed by a shaky breath, he knew his meaning was clear, and oh, how he did love a good tease. Even when it meant delaying his own satisfaction, Adrien enjoyed the build up, like a cat playing with his food. It brought out a mischievous side to him that few people ever saw.

"Yeah, well, you'll be making up for something, at least," Nino muttered under his breath, wiping a faint sheen of sweat from his brow. He kept his eyes fixed on the window, but Adrien could still see the gears turning in his head. He wondered if he could keep Nino on the edge all night – and how good it would be in the morning when they finally got to the hotel if he did. Now that was an enticing mental image.

The interruption might not have been ideal, but he was happy to make the most of it.

\---

The ride to JFK International was almost an hour long from their Manhattan hotel, but the little game of cat and mouse they played made it feel much shorter. Shorter for Adrien, at least. Nino looked like his soul was about to escape his body for a breath of fresh air. He was enjoying himself, Adrien was certain of that. He wasn't the type to be shy about telling him to stop if he weren't, but he also never did possess quite the same constitution for the long game that Adrien had. Unfortunate for him, given the circumstances; Adrien could play this game all night, and Nino was going to be his captive audience.

When the cab finally stopped at their terminal gate, Nino leapt from the door like a deer fleeing a hungry panther. He collected their luggage while Adrien paid the driver, taking the respite to collect himself in the chilly night air. His urgency was not lost on Adrien, nor was his unspoken determination to stay in the game.

"You're looking a little... warm, Nino," Adrien smirked as he rounded the cab and hopped up onto the sidewalk. "You okay?"

"I'm great," Nino replied, a little too quick to sound sincere, bouncing on his heels. His cheeks were flushed and his brow was marked with a light sheen of sweat, though he had kept his long coat buttoned in spite of his obvious warmth.

Adrien eyed him up and down once over, and his smirk broke into a toothy grin. He didn't have to utter a word to make Nino blush a shade deeper, the look in his eyes when they met was enough to say he knew exactly what that coat was hiding. "I know you are. You ready to go in, or do you need a minute?"

Nino shook his head. "The sooner the better," he answered, motioning for Adrien to lead the way.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged, strolling inside with his hands in his pockets, cool and collected. The lines were short at this time of night, so it was only a matter of minutes before they made it to the check-in. "Hello," he smiled at the teller, his whole demeanor shifting in a single heartbeat from mischievous minx to mannered model. "We have a booking under Adrien Agreste."

"Good evening, Mr. Agreste," the teller replied without looking up at him from the ticketing computer, "Let me see what we have here... Oh, it looks like your flight leaves in 25 minutes. I don't think you'll make it in time, but... I see you're a Platinum Medallion member, can I book you on the next flight out at no additional charge? You'll be arriving in San Francisco International about 45 minutes later."

He almost said yes without thinking about it, but the serendipity of the moment hit him along with an idea, and it gave him pause. "...One second, please," Adrien smiled sheepishly and stepped back, taking Nino by the elbow along with him. "Are you up for something crazy?" he asked in an excited whisper.

"What does that mean?" Nino examined him with a hint of caution. Adrien was not often given to impulse, but when he was it had a tendency to be extravagant.

"We've been talking about how we work too much and aren't happy doing it, so... What if we go back to Paris? Tonight?" it was almost as much a plea as a question, the hope in his eyes begging for a yes. "We've hardly taken any vacation time in four years, we've both got some to burn. I'll call Nathalie in the morning and have her set it up."

The skeptical look Nino gave him made it clear that he thought this was a bad idea, but the way he bit his lip said it was also a tempting one. He was quiet for a long moment, but in the end he wanted this too much to argue and spoil his chance. "Yeah. Yes, okay, let's do it," he agreed.

Adrien couldn't contain his delight, laughing and embracing Nino in a lightning fast hug before bouncing back over to the teller. "Actually... We'll take two tickets to Paris, please!"

\---

The trip through the airport to their terminal gate, usually a long and arduous affair, seemed to breeze by. It helped that they were going through the ordeal at eleven o'clock at night, but Adrien was pretty sure he wouldn't have cared if it had taken hours. He was walking on air. He couldn't remember a time that he felt this free.

Nino looked to be just as thrilled as he was. He'd been worried at first that those doubts he saw at first would persist, but to both his surprise and delight, the opposite had happened. After that initial decision was made, Nino was committed, and he was reminded how lucky was to have such a ride-or-die best friend – damn, how Adrien loved him.

Since they'd left ticketing, the two of them had plotted at least a week's worth of catching up to do back home, laughing and flirting the whole way. Even the moment when one of the TSA agents gave them a judgmental glare when he noticed Adrien leaning his full weight against Nino's chest couldn't ruin his mood. What normally would have made his heart stop instead brought out a strange, cheeky defiance in him. Before he even knew what he was doing, he stuck his tongue out at the man, tilted his head back, and tugged Nino's down to kiss him. It felt euphoric to be so carefree.

Carefree, but not invulnerable. He was reminded to show a little restraint when that act of rebellion almost cost them an uncomfortable journey through the "random" security check selection. The agent he'd pissed off followed them all the way through the checkpoint line, watching them from outside the crowd-control stanchions.

Serendipity would strike again in their favor, though: thanks to Adrien's platinum status, they were sent off to the priority checkpoint before the man could reach them. His only regret was not getting a picture of the infuriated agent's face at the exact moment he realized they were going to slip through his grasp. That was the icing on the cake, but still, the encounter reminded him not to push his luck too hard.

The rest of the way to the gate, Adrien showed a bit more decorum, albeit with reluctance. His little teasing game with Nino would just have to wait. It was probably for the best, considering how embarrassing it would be if anyone really caught on, much less recognized him and got a good picture of an indiscreet moment. Yet another reminder of why he hated being a public figure; he wondered idly if it would ever be possible to put that genie back in the bottle.

Shaking his head, Adrien pushed that thought down. He refused to let anything ruin his mood tonight, and besides, there was no use crying over spilled milk. The gesture did not go unnoticed, however. Nino cocked his head and gave Adrien a perplexed look. "What are you doing? Having an argument with yourself?"

"...Yeah," Adrien laughed, blushing with embarrassment. "I guess so. It was nothing important, just reminding myself to enjoy the moment."

Nino nodded, "You'd better. Speaking of which, it looks like our luck is holding," he pointed ahead, "Our gate just started boarding."

"Our timing really couldn't be better tonight, huh? It's like this was meant to be," Adrien grinned, then broke away into a light jog,"C'mon!"

"You dweeb," Nino laughed, but ran after him nevertheless.

\---

Boarding the plane was quick and uneventful, and soon the two of them were seated in the last row of first class. The flight was surprisingly uncrowded – who knew New York to Paris at midnight in the middle of the week would be unpopular? – so their row was empty, save for them. Seated and comfortable, the day all caught up to him at once. It had been a long one, with a lot of ups and downs, and a failed nap and airport fatigue on top of it.

The late hour of the flight meant there would be limited cabin service, so he got a blanket on the one trip through that the flight attendants made. Nino didn't ask for anything, so Adrien figured he must be tired, too. A heavy curtain hung in the doorway to coach behind them, which one of the attendants closed when they finished the fore cabin, and they were left in a little bubble of privacy. That suited Adrien just fine. He put up the armrest between his seat and Nino's, curled up against his shoulder, and threw the blanket over the both of them. Now that was perfect. He'd hardly managed to mumble a, "G'night," before he was out.

When he awoke a few hours later, it took Adrien a minute to realize what had drawn him from his slumber. Peaceful silence hung over the cabin, the dull thrum of the engines behind them a soothing backdrop of white noise. Then he noticed Nino's breathing. The rise and fall of his chest beneath Adrien's cheek was too quick and too shallow for him to be asleep. He shifted in his seat, his hips squirming as though he was uncomfortable, and the reason became clear. Adrien's arm had fallen from Nino's shoulder into his lap in his sleep, and his wrist was now resting on something very hard straining against tight denim.

It took every bit of his willpower not to show any kind of reaction, but this was a potential opportunity Adrien could have a lot of fun with. Whether or not he could get away with it was the real question. Through the lashes of barely-opened eyes, he took a peek at their surroundings. The two of them were still covered from the shoulders down in a blanket together, and the cabin was dark, not quite unlit, but close. The only illumination he could see ahead of them was the dim glow of the lights that marked the edges of the walkway; it was black as pitch outside the windows. By New York time, it must be the dead of night. Even focused on listening, the only sound he could hear was Nino's breath mere inches away. Yeah, this would do just fine.

As slow as he could manage, Adrien leaned further across Nino's chest, feigning sleep, and allowed his forearm to drag against the taut fabric below it. Nino drew in a long, shuddering breath, his effort to remain silent unmistakable. Adrien could still recognize the need for relief in the breathy exhalation that followed as his hand came to rest on Nino's far thigh, thumb strategically pressed alongside the rigid heat beneath the tented cloth.

He suppressed a smirk and wondered how long he could keep up the charade of being asleep. For a good ten minutes that felt like an eternity, he dragged out the game. He savored the little reactions to each calculated move, spread thin to maintain the illusion. The short breaths drawn when his fingers curled and the silent gasps when his thumb ghosted just a centimeter over the seam of Nino's jeans were music to his ears. He almost cursed giving himself away when Nino's fingers fisted into the side of his shirt and he reacted, drawing his hand back to rest in full over the now-twitching cloth below.

"Adrien," Nino hissed under his breath, almost inaudible even at this short distance. "What are you doing?"

Ah well. Where one game ends, the next begins. Adrien looked up at him with a coy smile, then leaned up to breathe in his ear, "Do you want me to stop?"

The stricken look that crossed Nino's face was near to agony. The right answer was, "yes," and he knew it. This was a terrible idea, but when his eyes swept across the cabin and back to Adrien, all he could manage to do was shake his head.

"Tell me," Adrien demanded, breath hot against his cheek, then leaned in to press his ear to Nino's lips.

His voice was weak when he answered, almost desperate. "Don't stop." This damnable minx would be the death of him.

With a satisfied smirk, Adrien laid his head back down on Nino's shoulder and closed his eyes. He didn't have to go so torturously slow anymore, but that didn't mean he was done teasing yet, either. With a featherlight touch, he traced every curve and contour of Nino's legs, starting from the hips and working in, then skipping down to his knees just before he reached the center. When his fingertips finished winding up the in-seam and trailed over the zipper, he could feel every muscle in the body beneath him tense at once.

A part of him considered starting over, protracting the build-up as long as he could until Nino was ready to scream with need, but given the precariousness of their location, Adrien decided he shouldn't take too long. Deft fingers made quick work of the button and fly, even one-handed, then fished Nino's shaft out of his boxers. The tip was soaked with precum, and little rivulets ran down his foreskin, making Adrien grin. He did so love eliciting this strong of a reaction. It never got old, being wanted so bad; he craved it.

Skin-to-skin now, he traced the familiar veins and ridges of Nino's cock, his touch light and slow, making it twitch and leak. His breath was quick and shallow now, and he was struggling to sit still if the way his hips rolled was any indication. A stifled gasp escaped him when Adrien wrapped those long fingers around his shaft and began to stroke him in earnest. He started off slow and gentle, more to allow Nino a little time to enjoy this than to keep him on the edge now. After being wound up over a span of hours, he wouldn't be able to hold out for very long against the practiced touch of a lover who knew him so well.

Adrien measured his escalation with careful expertise, ensuring that Nino got to savor his mounting pleasure, but he was drawing close, fast. With the – albeit slim – risk of being caught, there was an urgency in him that was hard to miss. When Adrien tightened his grip, making short, quick strokes, and rubbing the pad of his thumb in little circles against the sensitive underside of Nino's crown, a shudder went up his spine. He strangled a moan, the sound dying in his throat before it could begin, and Adrien knew he was done for.

Without warning, he ducked his head beneath the blanket and reached up to cover Nino's mouth with his free hand, a gesture of who was in control here more than for any utility of quieting him. Adrien took his throbbing cock to the hilt in his mouth, thumb and index finger circling and stroking the base while the others curls down to cup his balls. That was far more than Nino could handle, and in the same breath, he came, exhaling sharply as he filled Adrien's mouth, his whole body trembling, fingers tangling in blond locks.

He had to suppress a moan himself as he took the load, sucking and stroking every drop free as he worked Nino through his climax. When it was finished, he sat up, pulled his hand away, and met Nino's gaze as he swallowed, licked his lips, and grinned. Adrien leaned in to kiss him, brief, but deep, sharing the taste of his reward, then murmured in his ear, "Worth the wait?"

Nino nodded, breathless and in a daze as he stuffed himself back into his pants.

"Good," Adrien whispered and kissed his cheek. "I'm going back to sleep," he added, laying his head back down on Nino's shoulder with a satisfied smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to my beta readers, and to Lyrishark (lyrishark.tumblr.com) for editing. Deepest apologies for putting you through untested smut.
> 
> Find me at rogueprincewrites.tumblr.com (NSFW)


	4. Home, Sweet Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien learns that going home is harder than it sounds.
> 
> Nino struggles with some unexpected news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning for non-explicit past reference to child abuse.

Nino slept better on that flight into Paris than any other he had ever been on. Not even the breakfast service disturbed his rest. He was out until the plane hit the tarmac, the jolt of the touch down shaking him awake. With a protracted yawn, he blinked the sleep from his eyes and looked around, confused at first about where he was.

Then his gaze landed on Adrien. He was beaming with that infectious cat-that-ate-the-canary grin he reserved for great nights or bad decisions, and Nino wondered which this had been – both, probably. "Morning, sleepy-head," Adrien greeted him with laughter in his eyes, "or, afternoon, really. It's–"

"–Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now arriving at Charles de Gaulle International Airport, Terminal 2E. The local time is 2:16 pm. Welcome to Paris and thank you for flying with us," the announcement interrupted him. "Please remain seated until the captain has disabled the 'fasten seatbelt' light, and do be careful opening the overhead bins as..." it continued on for several more minutes.

"...Well, that," he added. "How'd you sleep?"

"Great," he yawned again. "Fantastic, actually. I can't remember the last time I got a good night's worth on a plane. You?"

"Happy to help," Adrien smirked, "I slept fine, you make an excellent pillow. I'm glad you're feeling good, we did lose six hours with the time zones. Think you're gonna want to go back to bed?"

"If I do, it won't be to sleep. I think I owe you," Nino shot back and earned a cute little blush for the effort.

"You never owe me, but I also won't turn you down."

Nino laughed. "I know. Really, though, first things first: we need to call in our vacation time before Gabriel misses you, and I need to figure out where I'm staying while we're here."

"Stay with me," Adrien answered without hesitation. "With Father in America, the house is empty anyway."

"Pass, dude," he replied a little too fast, then realized it sounded worse than he meant it to. "I mean – I'd be happy to stay with you, but not there. Your dad's mansion gives me the creeps, and besides, he'd probably have me assassinated for stepping foot in the place without his permission. I'm surprised you want to stay there, considering."

Adrien shrugged. "I kinda miss my room. I know it's probably just rose-colored glasses, but I haven't seen it in a long time. Maybe I'll just stay with you and visit, though. I don't really want to be there alone."

"Oh, well, I didn't mean to–" Nino began to retract his refusal when a loud DING-DING-DING chimed through the plane, indicating they had reached the gate. The deafening uproar of a few hundred passengers jumping out of their seats at once made it impossible to continue their conversation.

"We'll figure it out later!" Adrien yelled back over the din, though it was his lips moving more than the words Nino understood. He wasn't thrilled about leaving the conversation like that, but the chaos around them didn't care.

Nino hated this part of air travel, but mercifully, the huge trans-Atlantic jet was at diminished occupancy, and they were close to the front. He ushered Adrien out first, allowing him to escape the press of the crowd, and collected their luggage at a relaxed pace that would let him get a bit ahead of most of the people stuck behind Nino in the narrow aisle. Throngs of pushy people didn't agree with Adrien. He did fine with more docile groups, but the way passengers stampeded off an airplane made him anxious. It probably reminded him of the paparazzi and screaming fans that had alienated his youth. 

 

He blocked the walkway as long as he could without being suspicious, but once the first complaints started up behind him, he got moving, a rushed, "Sorry!" thrown in his wake. It didn't take him long to find Adrien, but unfortunately, he wasn't the only one. Abroad, they could walk the streets in relative anonymity, and he had hoped that years away would have a similar effect on Adrien's fame in Paris. Judging by the half-dozen people who had already cornered the poor thing outside the gate, the opposite was true.

"Excuse me," Nino declared in a tone that bade no reproach, nudging his way through the fence of fans. "Mr. Agreste is very tired, and he'd like to get home. I'm sure you all can understand that," he said, wrapping an arm around a besieged Adrien and guiding him away without further ado.

"Thanks," he whispered as Nino led him into a secluded corner. "I thought for sure it wouldn't be like this anymore... I guess Father has been pushing the ads pretty hard here."

"I'm shocked," Nino replied in a deadpan monotone, digging through his camera bag and retrieving his trusty baseball cap. "He's always been so sensitive to your privacy," he added, tugging the hat over Adrien's mussed golden locks with a taut smile that belied his concern.

"Yeah," he mumbled, disheartened. This wasn't how he wanted this trip to go, and it showed all over his face. They hadn't even made it out of the terminal before he got ambushed – how bad would it get from here?

It broke Nino's heart to see his hope crumble like this. He had to stop it. "C'mon," he said with a gentle smile, pulling Adrien's sunglasses from his bag next and offering them to him. "Thought you might want these. It's gonna be fine, let's just get out of here, there's too many people in this place. It'll be better when we get you home."

"Right," Adrien nodded, taking a breath and putting on a smile. "It's gonna be okay. Alright. Let's go."

They caught a few lingering glances and the occasional person pointing at them on the trek through immigration and customs, but if anyone did recognize him, it was only after it was too late to stop them. Once they made it to baggage claim, the crowd was less dense. Nino sent Adrien to go call Nathalie in an alcove out of the main thoroughfare and went to find their suitcases.

He had just spotted Adrien's and was looking for his own when a voice he hadn't heard in four years caught his ear. "Nino?! Nino Lahiffe, is that you?"

Nino froze dead in his tracks. His heart felt like it was going to burst through his ribs. He had been hoping to see her while he was in Paris, but he thought he'd have time to prepare. This was too soon, he wasn't ready. What the hell should he say?

"I'm not a T-Rex, Nino, I can still see you."

Oh God. Now it was awkward. He took too long to answer and everything was ruined. No, no no. Shit. Okay. Breathe. React.

With Herculean effort, Nino forced air into his lungs, plastered a smile on his face, and spun on his heel. "Hey, Aly–oh," her name faltered on his lips, eyes wide, as the sight of her took his breath away again.

Alya Césaire stood with arms crossed and a wry smile on her lips right there in front of him. She looked so much like he remembered, but so different. She seemed weary – jetlagged – but vibrant, ochre skin still rich even under the harsh fluorescent lighting. Her hair was a mess, pulled back into a haphazard ponytail. She had new glasses, an orange-and-white gradient that brought out the warmth in her soft brown eyes. Her figure looked fuller, but was hidden beneath an oversized, paint-splattered hoodie, red with black spots. She had a pencil tucked behind one ear and her phone in her hand. Some things never change.

She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Close enough," she smiled, amused. "You can pick your jaw up now. You look pretty good yourself. Been working out?"

"H-huh?" Nino stuttered. "Oh. I guess, yeah," he added with a sheepish shrug. Now that he thought about it, he must have grown another inch or two and put on a few pounds of muscle since she'd seen him last. There was always a gym around when he needed something to do while he was up too late in another new city. "Perks of living in hotels, I guess. S-so, uh, what brings you here?"

"Coming home from a research trip," she replied. "I'm working on a report about–" she hesitated. "Well, I can't say too much, but, corporate corruption."

"Whoa. I guess that journalism major worked out well for you, then?"

"You could say that," Alya laughed. "I got hired straight out of my internship after graduation. You're looking at a bona fide investigative reporter – which you would know if you'd stayed in touch, you ass," she punched his shoulder with an affectionate grin and feigned offense. "How about you, what brings you to town? And, better yet, why didn't I know you were coming?"

"It was kind of spur of the moment," Nino admitted. "As in, we decided to come home instead of going to San Francisco at the ticketing counter last night. Gabriel has been really grinding Adrien into the ground, so he decided to take some vacation time," he pointed discreetly to the nook where Adrien was pacing with a phone to his ear. "He's calling now to tell... Oh, shit!" Nino cursed, stricken with panic, "I forgot to tell him Gabriel wanted to talk to him!"

"It looks like he knows now," Alya remarked, dry. "Best not to interrupt. I guess that explains why you were willing to leave, though. And what happened to your hat. And that old blue shirt you used to wear all the time..." she observed, watching Adrien for a moment before turning on Nino, an eyebrow raised at him. "So I take it you two finally fucked, then."

She couldn't have done a better job of knocking the wind from his lungs with a sledgehammer. How the hell did she always see through him like he was made of glass? It had been four years and she just took him apart in thirty seconds! And what did she mean, finally? He couldn't possibly have been that obvious in high school, could he? They were dating and she never said anything, but... She knew? She knew!

"Whoa, there, tiger, calm down," Alya raised her hands in the universal gesture to say she meant him no harm. "You don't need to panic. I'm not gonna say anything to anyone, if that's what you're worried about."

"It's not. Well, I mean, I don't want to be outed, obviously, but it didn't cross my mind that you would do that," Nino explained. "I just... how did you... Did you know that I liked him when we were together? I'm not even sure I knew back then."

She couldn't help but laugh a little bit at that. "Isn't that always how it goes? It's obvious to the people who love us when we're oblivious ourselves..." she trailed off, a whimsical smile on her face. "Not that I think you were obvious, exactly, but yeah, Nino, I figured it out. I did know you pretty well. You've had it bad for Adrien for a long time. I'm happy for you, honestly."

"Thank you, Alya," he exhaled. "But, we're not really, uh, together, exactly. Adrien's not, um, emotionally available, and... he also doesn't know," he shrugged with a sad smile.

"You idiot," Alya sighed. "Why do you do these things to yourself? I swear, you're the only person I've ever met who's almost as romantically hopeless as Adrien is. Please, please don't tell me he's still hung up on Internet Girl."

"Okay, I won't tell you," Nino chuckled sheepishly. "Not that I have any room to judge him."

Alya narrowed her eyes at him, assessing the implications of his choice of words with a hint of suspicion. Nino realized his mistake too late, but before he could deflect, Adrien materialized beside him.

"Alya, hey!" he chirped with a forced cheer that was lost on no one. "Long time, no see!"

"Yeah, no kidding, Adrien!" she mimicked his tone. "Why are we talking like this?!"

Adrien faltered for a moment. It appeared he had forgotten how much of a straight shooter Alya was, too. "It's not you, it's work. I'm sorry." He turned to Nino, "I spoke with Nathalie. She said she would take care of the arrangements for our vacation time, but that Father would be angry. He wanted to talk to me about something important today..." he trailed off with a sigh.

Nino frowned. "Yeah, about that... I was supposed to tell you he was looking for you yesterday, but with everything going the way it did, I, uh, guess I forgot. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. To be honest, I would rather put it off as long as I can, anyway," Adrien smiled and shrugged. "Whatever it is, I'm probably not going to like it, so... Anyway. No distractions. Alya, it really is great to see you. We should get together while Nino and I are home," he added, extending his arms to offer her a hug.

Alya accepted his embrace with all the warmth of a long-separated old friend, apparently pleased with this more genuine attitude. "I'd like that, and I'm sure Marinette would love to see you. She's missed you, Adrien. Both of you, really," she amended.

"Oh, yeah, it would be great to see her, too," Adrien mused, "but where did that come from?"

Alya rolled her eyes, "Right. I keep forgetting you two have been totally out of the loop in your self-imposed exile. We're dating."

\---

He knew it wasn't fair, but Nino was having a hard time concentrating on making plans with Adrien for their vacation now. His head still felt like it was spinning, and his stomach was doing flips. He didn't even know why this was affecting him so much, and that made it worse.

It wasn't like he should be surprised. He left. He knew fully well what the consequences would be, and he did it anyway. Alya told him in no uncertain terms that she wouldn't wait around for him. He left anyway. He had just always thought, somewhere in the back of his head, that when he came home she'd be happy to see him. Which she had been, he thought, at first. She seemed happy enough.

Now, he wasn't so sure. It wasn't the reunion he'd dreamt of, there was no doubt about that much. He tried to play it cool, but he blew it, he just didn't know how bad. It all happened so fast, it was like it happened to someone else, and then she was gone, and–

"Nino?" Adrien's voice broke through the turmoil of his thoughts, calling – no, repeating his name. "Are you okay? You look like you're going to be sick."

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," he muttered, running his hands over his face, then shaking his head as though he could rattle his thoughts straight. "I'm sorry. That just – I wasn't expecting it. But it doesn't matter, right? This trip is about us. I'm good."

"We can talk about it, if you want to," Adrien offered, placing a hand on his knee. "I know you were hoping to work things out with her."

Nino shrugged, the corners of his mouth tugged into a frown he tried to hide. "No hope of that now, huh?" he asked. "Alya and Marinette. Jeez. I don't know how I could ever have missed that. It never occurred to me before, but it really couldn't be more obvious, huh?" he mused, his tone bitter.

"They have always been really close," Adrien agreed, "but I don't think you should have predicted it or something. I mean, they were always trying to set me up with Marinette back in high school. Hell, do you remember that day at the zoo?" he laughed.

That brought a nostalgic smile to Nino's face. "Yeah. I wanted to ask Marinette out, and you were playing wingman. Only trouble was that she was hoping you were the one trying to get with her, and Alya was trying to help her set you two up..." he trailed off. "That was the day I asked Alya out instead." Then he laughed. "We made out behind the turtle exhibit."

"I know, you dork, I was the one who helped you get her alone, remember?" Adrien grinned. "Marinette was happy enough to go look at the panther exhibit with me. Who knows? Maybe they're not that serious. Things could still work out for you and Alya."

Nino gave him a wry half-smile, "Yeah, maybe, if you ever get over your online lady and ask Marinette out."

"We're just good friends!" Adrien protested, but his cheeks turned crimson.

\---

In better spirits after their chat, Nino hummed along with the radio as he drove to the Agreste mansion. Music always made him feel better. Besides, Adrien was right. It wasn't going to do him any good to panic over Alya, much less with no information.

They decided at the airport that they could save some money by only renting one car to share, and put those savings towards a nice hotel room. Nino just didn't fancy the idea of staying in Gabriel's house, even if he was on another continent. The place had a bad energy. Probably had something to do with all the child neglect, he figured.

Still, though, Adrien wanted to visit his old bedroom, and Nino wouldn't begrudge him that. It may have amounted to a prison cell in their teenage years, but all things considered, it was a pretty damn nice one. He must have had every video game published before their graduation date in there, to say nothing of the ten foot TV, rock climbing wall, zipline, arcade cabinets, or skateboard ramps. It was quite the gilded cage.

The drive from Charles de Gaulle was long, but pleasant. They occupied the time alternating comfortable silence with carpool karaoke. Before they knew it, they were there.

The first sign of trouble came at the gate. Nino had watched Adrien enter the code to open it a thousand times before, and it never took more than two seconds. It was going on two minutes when he finally gave up with a frustrated groan, "It's not working."

"Are you sure you remember it right?" Nino asked the obvious question.

"Positive," Adrien answered. "It was my mother's birthday."

"Oh. Well, maybe it's not working because he turned the power off, since no one's been here?"

He paused, eying the keypad like it had bitten him just a moment before. "Huh. That must be it," Adrien agreed. "Hold on."

With little fanfare, he took a few steps back, crouched, and sprinted towards the wrought-iron fence. When he reached the bars, he jumped, and then he was running up the sheer vertical surface, all feline grace and agility as the bars rang out like eerie chimes beneath his shoes. He seemed to reach the top with no difficulty at all, grabbed hold of it and flipped a full 360 degrees, then free-fell and landed on his feet.

"Shit. Sometimes I forget how athletic you are for such a scrawny thing," Nino whistled.

"Yeah, well," Adrien shrugged, pulling the hidden manual-release lever for the gate to let him in, "being 'scrawny' actually helps with some stuff. Defying gravity, for instance."

"Duly noted. Can we get moving before someone assumes we're breaking in and calls the cops?"

"I'd hope the neighbors would recognize me, but yeah, that probably did look suspicious. Oh well," Adrien shrugged. "Let's go."

Nino followed along as he strode up to the imposing double doors embellished with a stylized butterfly motif. A creeping sense of dread fell over him when Adrien slid the key into the deadbolt, twisted his wrist, and... nothing happened. Confused, he tried the other direction, but to no avail. The key jiggled and clinked as he continued for several uncomfortable moments to unlock the door, but no amount of force or perseverance could overcome reality.

"Oh," Adrien whispered, staring crestfallen at the door in sobering realization. "The gate wasn't working because... Father's changed all the locks... without telling me."

"Adrien, I'm sorry, what can I do?" Nino frowned, feeling as helpless as his friend looked.

"Nothing," he mumbled, turning his back to the door, leaning against it, and sliding down to rest on the concrete steps. His eyes welled up as he choked, "...I just wanted to go home."

\---

"Sir, excuse me, but I've. got some news."

Gabriel looked up from his tablet with a distinct grunt of displeasure, glowering at his assistant over the rim of his mug with the first rays of dawn illuminating his silhouette ominously. She knew how he hated to be interrupted when he was working or taking his morning tea; both at once was inexcusable. "What is it, Nathalie?" he demanded.

"Adrien has, ah, decided to take some of his vacation time. He won't be here for the shoot – or for the next one. He just called from Paris," she explained, preparing herself for an eruption. "He's off for two weeks.""

"WHAT?!" Gabriel roared, even louder than she expected. "He can't do that! He's under contract!"

Nathalie frowned. "His contract stipulates paid time off, sir. It's against labor law to refuse him without a sufficient reason, and since he hasn't taken any in the last four years... Well, it would be difficult to make that case, sir."

He stood and slammed his mug to the table, pacing and seething in silence for several long moments. "This is going to seriously affect my runway presence. People come to Gabriel shows expecting to see my designs on my star model," he grumbled, more to himself than her. "Tell me – is he the only one? Did he go alone?"

She hesitated before answering, "No, sir. Nino took the same time off. I suspect they're together."

"I thought as much," Gabriel spat. "I just told him I needed to speak to Adrien yesterday about serious matters relating to my business, and now this. It's a slap in the face!" He snarled. "How dare he defy me after all I've done for him? I may not be able to do anything about Adrien right now, but that little brat is going to pay dearly."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter it's Alya's turn. Four deep and I still haven't gotten to Marinette, but it's about time to at least get all the players on the board. Maybe this slow burn thing isn't so hard.
> 
> Thanks again as always to lyrishark (lyrishark.tumblr.com) for editing.
> 
> Find me at rogueprincewrites.tumblr.com.


End file.
